BuzzFeed News is reporting President Trump directed his former personal attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. BuzzFeed cited two unnamed federal law enforcement officials investigating the matter, who also said Trump supported a plan, set up by Cohen, to visit Russia during the presidential campaign in order to personally meet President Vladimir Putin and jump-start the tower negotiations. Two of Trump’s children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., reportedly received regular, detailed updates about the project from Cohen. The chair of the House Intelligence Committee, California Democrat Adam Schiff, tweeted that the president of the United States may have “suborned perjury” by ordering Cohen to lie to his committee. Democrats say such an order would also constitute obstruction of justice—a felony. Trump’s nominee to become the next attorney general, William Barr, appeared to agree with that position during his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday. Barr was questioned by Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “The president persuading a person to commit perjury would be obstruction. Is that right?”
William Barr: “That—yes.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “OK, and”—
William Barr: “Or, any—well, you know, any person who persuades another to”—
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “Any person.”
William Barr: “Yeah.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “OK. You also said that a president or any person convincing a witness to change testimony would be obstruction. Is that right?”
William Barr: “Yes.”
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